PRG, Ltd.

N.H. Entrepreneurs Look to Help Street Children in the Philippines

Newport, NH -- (SBWIRE) -- 07/23/2014 -- Alice Powers and her son Timothy, both small business entrepreneurs in Newport, N.H., are well aware of the poverty in the Philippines. Both Alice and Timothy are moving to Philippines to start a new life. Alice Powers has retired and is not in good health and some of the food & fruits in the Philippines will help her. Timothy’s fiancée Rosalie also lives in the Philippines with her family who will be helping in this adventure.

They see the street children in the Philippines begging for food and money and then resorting to crime as a means to survive. Many of them don’t even have clean water to drink or food to eat. They need shelter, education, nutrition and support.

Their solution is to open a Sari-Sari (convenience) store in the Philippines and run a transportation to provide monthly and eventually weekly support to these children.Half of the revenue from these enterprises will go to providing the street children in the Philippines with clean water and food.

The Sari-Sari store will also serve as a small recreation center different from other stores. It will have an area for socializing with music playing in the background as well as table games like chess, checkers and backgammon. Transportation around the area will be provided by a Jeepney, a unique type of Filipino bus with fancy decorations.

The Jeepney service and Sari-Sari store are is a key element in this project because they can earn thousands of pesos (hundreds of dollars) a day.

“We are not seeking fame or fortune,” said Powers. “We just want to help the children. We want to start small and then expand the store and Jeepney service to other islands.”

It’s a noble proposal but not one that is inexpensive. Powers’s family has volunteered to start up and run the Sari-Sari store and drive the Jeepney. To purchase the vehicle, however, they need $20,000 minimum, which includes registration and insurance.

Donations of any amount are welcome. For pledges of $25 or more, the Powers family will give you a shout-out on Facebook or follow you on Twitter.

“With your help we can help the many thousands of children starving in the streets of the Philippines,” Powers said. “Our hope is that we will get support, not only from private citizens, but from business owners in the Philippines and all over the world.”